He also spent seven times more than Democratic winner Virg Bernero, according to campaign finance reports filed Thursday.
Snyder, a wealthy Ann Arbor businessman and former president of computer maker Gateway Inc., gave his campaign $6.1 million and raised $2 million from other donors. He then spent $7.6 million, more than twice as much as anyone else in the race.

Among his fellow Republicans, Attorney General Mike Cox spent $3.3 million, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard spent $2.2 million, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra spent more than $1.7 million and state Sen. Tom George spent nearly $402,000.

Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon, who lost to Bernero, raised $1.8 million and spent $1.7 million. Outside groups spent over $700,000 on television ads supporting him.

Bernero, the Lansing mayor, raised $1 million, including nearly $95,000 he loaned his campaign. He also got around $112,000 in public matching funds.

Although he didn’t pay for any television ads, Bernero’s campaign was helped by more than $1.8 million in ads paid for by the Genesee County Democratic Committee with union help. The unions are expected to help Bernero with ads leading up to the Nov. 2 general election.

The seven gubernatorial candidates had to file post-primary reports by Thursday with the Michigan Secretary of State’s office. They cover the period from Jan. 1, 2009 to Aug. 23, 2010.